Bome (sculptor)

Bome(ボーメ,Bōme) is the pseudonym of a Japanese sculptor, primarily sculpting anime-styled women for mass commercial release. The name is a contraction of Baseball Cap(ぼう,Bōu) and Eyeglasses(めがね,Megane), both of which he wears regularly. He started making garage kits and now works for Kaiyodo, a Japanese company that specialises in anime-related figurines. Bome's work has proved sufficiently popular and successful for Kaiyodo to release a Monsieur Bome Collection, including figures from such popular anime and video games as GunBuster, Full Metal Panic, Dead or Alive, Kiddy Grade, Xenosaga and Jingai Makyō. Bome has, amongst others, also sculpted characters from Neon Genesis Evangelion and Sailor Moon.

Bome's work, like some of the anime on which it is based, often combines cute facial features with exaggerated sexual attributes such as large, gravity-defying breasts. Many figures are scantily clad or posed so that undergarments are visible. Occasionally, they may possess removable clothing which will expose knickers or bras. At least one figurine (Jungle Emi) was allegedly bare-breasted in its Japanese release; it was supposed to include a removable halter top bra in its worldwide release, however many disappointed fans found that the halter top is actually not removable. His latest (and possibly final) model in the Mon-Soeur BOME series, Akira from Sukapon-Do, is a rework of a model he previously did - with her breasts covered back up. See the "Erotica" section of the website listed in this page's References for the original model.

Collectors and toy-buyers regard Bome's work as being of good quality due to its accurate paintwork, of fine detail, accurate representation of the character, naturalistic poses and high manufacturing standards. This opinion is reflected by the 1998 exhibition of Bome's work as part of Ero Pop Tokyo, an event, organised by Japanese artistTakashi Murakami, held in Los Angeles during May to June.